Community Games Programme | What is a Community Games event? | What is the Community Games Project? Watch this video | What shall I do for my Community Games? | Thornton’s Budgens sponsoring fun equipment for your Community Games | News and Updates | What is North London YMCA’s involvement in the Community Games? | How to raise money through your Community Games |

Community Games Programme
The Community Games is part of an exciting National Programme (communitygames.org.uk), in partnership with YMCA England County Sports Partnerships. The programme aims to bring the spirit of the Olympics to local communities, and to encourage local people to take up sporting and physical activity, in a fun way!

What is a Community Games event?
Any event can qualify to become a Community games event, so long as there is:

• An opening and closing ceremony. This can be simply someone welcoming everyone, or cutting a ribbon.
• A sporting activity. This can be something as simple as an egg and spoon race, a 100 metre sprint, or a football tournament.
• A cultural element. The event could be held at a cultural venue, but could include a local music band, dancers, arts and crafts, or food from a range of countries.
• Branding of the event as a Community Games, ideally on any external press and publicity, but can simply mean calling your event ‘Street Party and Community Games’ with the press or on an information table, but also should involve the green and white Community Games logo shown at the top of the page, and Community Games merchandise, such as banners, bunting, medals and certificates.

You also need to register your games at www.communitygames.org.uk. Once you’ve done this, someone from the Community Games Team will be in contact with you to talk everything through.

What is the Community Games Project? Watch this video
What is the Community Games Project? Watch this video.

youtube.com/watch?v=BBTweTxYwoE&feature=channel&list=UL



What shall I do for my Community Games?
There’s no need to stage a huge event. It could be part of your annual sports day or autumn fair. The North London YMCA opted for real ‘old-school’ events at their annual fun run such as egg and spoon races, sack races, 3-legged races, Space Hopper races, ‘Crazy Catch’, tug-of war, and hula hoops. Everyone is encouraged to ‘have a go’ and medals can be awarded to 1st, 2nd and 3rd players on an ‘Olympic’-style podium, and other ‘participants’ medals are awarded to people who try out at least 4 events. But it is really up to you.

North London YMCA can assist you to organise your Games. Please contact Alison Harrow, Community Games Coordinator, on 07720 849 650, or by email, click on the link below:
Email Alison

Thornton’s Budgens sponsoring fun equipment for your Community Games
Thornton’s Budgens are sponsoring some fun equipment for your Community Games. This is available for local community groups and schools in the Hornsey and Belsize Park area. To borrow the equipment, and to find out how to get Community Games merchandise, please contact Alison Harrow, Community Games Coordinator, on 07720 849 650, by email, click on the link below:
Email Alison.

But hurry, as the equipment is very popular!

Did you know that Budgens have a personal shopper service and can arrange deliveries, sale or return on alcohol, glass loans, and are available at events such as these? Find out more by clicking on: thorntonsbudgens.com

News and Updates
So far as many as 20 local community groups and organisations have enquired about borrowing the equipment, including Homes for Haringey, Action for Kids (in Hornsey), and Friends of Chestnuts Park:

• At North London YMCA’s annual fun run, over 100 adults and children competed in events with the Thornton’s Budgens equipment, and celebrities Michelle Collins and Nitin Ginantra (Masood from EastEnders) attended an opening Torch ceremony at above event. For photos and details click on the link below and go to pages 8 and 9.
  Celebrities at the Fun Run
• ‘Dancing in the Square’, a multi-cultural Big Dance event, took place on 15th July 2012 in Crouch End’s Town Hall Square, with the support of funding from The Arts Council, and Thornton’s Budgens’ Pennies for Plastic and Community Games Funds.

• Action for Kids held an Inclusive Sports Day at The Tottenham Green Sports and Leisure Centre on 13th July, where disabled and non-disabled young people assembled for a day of accessible Football, Hockey, Cricket, Boccia and Volleyball

What is North London YMCA’s involvement in the Community Games?
North London YMCA is the lead partner for a London-wide consortia of YMCAs, promoting the Community Games initiative to 9 other London YMCAs (City YMCA, Central YMCA, Earl’s Court YMCA, Romford YMCA, South London YMCA, South West London YMCA, Thames Gateway YMCA, Watford and District YMCA, and West London YMCA). North London YMCA also promotes the Community Games initiative to other local Community Groups and schools, encouraging them to organise their own Games and assisting them with sports equipment and coaches.

How to raise money through your Community Games
Make the most of the visitors coming to your event! This is a perfect opportunity to raise some funds for your organisation. The YMCA has created a simple ‘Community Games General Fundraising Guide’. This provides advice and information specific to YMCAs, however if you aren’t a local YMCA, all of the hints and tips will translate well to your organisation too. Click on the link below to download the guide:

Download guide as a Word document.